Aces Fall Four Games Back in Pacific Northern Race

RENO, Nev. — Sloppy defense and ineffective pitching cost the Reno Aces an opportunity to cut into the Sacramento River Cats’ lead atop the Pacific Northern Division standings. On a night the offense had nine extra-base hits and 19 total hits, the Aces were dropped 15-11 at Aces Ballpark.

With 22 games left in the 2014 regular season, the Reno Aces trail the Sacramento River Cats by four games. Reno closed the gap to one game after a 7-5 win in game one of the series, but Sacramento has won three straight to take control of the race.

The back-and-forth affair featured 30 hits, 11 walks and 7 errors. All 11 walks were issued by Aces pitchers, marking a season-high. Six of the errors were committed by the Aces, a franchise-high.

Trouble found Bo Schultz in the first inning when three runners scored on an error by shortstop Nick Ahmed. Colin Walsh added a sacrifice fly to give Sacramento an early 4-0 lead.

Zach Borenstein got his night (3-for-5, HR, 2 2B) off with bang when he launched a solo homer in the bottom of the first. Run-scoring hits by Blake Lalli, Blake Tekotte and Ahmed evened the game at 4-4.

Sacramento quickly regained the lead with two runs in the third when Shane Peterson belted a base hit to left to score Nick Buss and Daric Barton scored on a wild pitch.

Reno jumped back out in front on five consecutive hits to start the bottom of the third. Roger Kieschnick’s two-run single gave the Aces a 7-6 lead, and Tekotte’s sacrifice fly made it 8-6.

The Aces took a 9-7 lead to the fifth inning but Sacramento took advantage of a walk and three errors and regained the lead with three runs.

Each team scored a run in the sixth inning, and the River Cats added a single run in both the seventh and eighth innings before scoring twice in the final frame to extend their lead to five runs.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Blake Lalli homered to right field to extend the game, but it was all the offense the Aces would muster.

Lalli had a season-high four hits in the loss, and Borenstein, Marte, and Jacobs each added three hits. Jacobs also added three RBIs in the game.

The two teams will wrap up the series tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The Aces will send right-hander Mike Bolsinger (6-3, 3.87) to the mound, and the River Cats will counter with right-hander Deck McGuire (1-1, 1.98).

Single-game tickets for the final nine games of the regular season are on sale now. For more information, or to purchase a 2015 Aces ticket plan, call (775) 334-4700. For up-to-date news and notes throughout the offseason, visit www.RenoAces.com, follow the club on Twitter (@aces) or like the team on Facebook.

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